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{{Short description|Data protection software for personal users}}
{{Short description|Data protection software for personal users}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Notability|1=Products|date=March 2024}}
{{Primary sources|date=March 2024}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=March 2024}}
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{{Infobox software
{{Infobox software
| name = Acronis True Image
| name = Acronis True Image
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| website = {{URL|https://www.acronis.com/en-us/products/true-image//}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.acronis.com/en-us/products/true-image//}}
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'''Acronis True Image''' is a proprietary [[data backup|backup]], [[disk imaging|imaging]], [[disk cloning|cloning]] and [[Computer security software|cybersecurity]] suite developed by [[Acronis]] International GmbH.<ref name="bate2021">{{Cite web |date=2021-05-10 |title=Acronis True Image Review 2023: Is the High Cost Worth It? |url=https://www.websiteplanet.com/cloud-storage/acronis/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Website Planet |language=en}}</ref> It can back up files, data, [[Disk cloning|clone storage media]] and protects the system from [[ransomware]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Alawida |first=Moatsum |last2=Omolara |first2=Abiodun Esther |last3=Abiodun |first3=Oludare Isaac |last4=Al-Rajab |first4=Murad |date=2022-11-01 |title=A deeper look into cybersecurity issues in the wake of Covid-19: A survey |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319157822002762 |journal=Journal of King Saud University - Computer and Information Sciences |volume=34 |issue=10, Part A |pages=8176–8206 |doi=10.1016/j.jksuci.2022.08.003 |issn=1319-1578|pmc=9367180 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite conference |last=Alsagoff |first=Syed Nasir |date=2010 |title=Malware self protection mechanism issues in conducting malware behaviour analysis in a virtual environment as compared to a real environment |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5561600 |conference=2010 International Symposium on Information Technology |volume=3 |pages=1326–1331 |doi=10.1109/ITSIM.2010.5561600 |access-date=2024-08-11 |via=IEEE Xplore}}</ref> In 2021, the product was renamed to Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office before being renamed back to True Image in 2024.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=TIB File - What is a .tib file and how do I open it? |url=https://fileinfo.com/extension/tib |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=fileinfo.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Acronis True Image returns: Reintroducing - ProQuest |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/3083259675/abstract?_oafollow=false&pq-origsite=primo&sourcetype=Trade%20Journals |access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>
'''Acronis True Image''' (also known as '''Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office'''<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office review: Top-tier do-it-all PC backup |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/393356/acronis-cyber-protect-home-office-review.html |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=PCWorld |language=en}}</ref>) is a consumer-oriented software product developed by Acronis International GmbH. Designed to safeguard users' devices and personal information, it offers integrated protection against cyber threats. By combining AI-enhanced cybersecurity with secure data backup<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first=|date=2019-08-22 |title=Acronis True Image 2020 replicates local backups in the cloud |url=https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2019/08/22/acronis-true-image-2020/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Help Net Security |language=en-US}}</ref>, the software provides comprehensive defense against system failures, hacking attempts, ransomware and identity theft. Intended for home and home office environments, Acronis True Image aims to consolidate multiple security functions into a single, cost-effective solution.


== Features ==
== Backup and restoration ==
The product can back up a [[Personal computer|computer]], selected [[Disk storage|disks]] or selected files to a local location or to a data center operated by Acronis.<ref name="bate2021" /> Data is stored within a proprietary image file.


=== Backup ===
=== Backup ===
Acronis can create two types of backup archives: (1) files and folder backups (which consist of user-specified files and directories (but not the metadata of the disk or partition)) and (2) full [[system image]]s (which consist of files, directories and disk metadata). The software can create full disk backup archives of several file systems including: [[NTFS]] (Windows); [[File Allocation Table|FAT32]] (Windows 9x and removable media); Macintosh systems ([[HFS+]] and [[APFS]]) and Linux systems ([[ext2]], [[ext3]], [[ext4]]; [[ReiserFS]], and [[Virtual memory|Linux Swap]]).<ref name="acronis2021d">How to Back Up a Hard Drive and Restore Your Computer. https://www.acronis.com/en-sg/articles/backup-hard-drive/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.</ref><ref name="bate2021">{{Cite web |date=2021-05-10 |title=Acronis True Image Review 2023: Is the High Cost Worth It? |url=https://www.websiteplanet.com/cloud-storage/acronis/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Website Planet |language=en}}</ref> Acronis falls back to using sector-by-sector copy when a non-supported filesystem is backed up.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kb.acronis.com/content/1543 |title=Creating a Sector-By-Sector Backup with Acronis Products |website=Acronis Knowledge Base|access-date= 15 June 2017}}</ref> Acronis has an agent that can be installed within the operating system, which allows backups to be performed in the background while the computer is being used.


==== Local backup ====
==== Local backup ====
It can create two types of backup archives: (1) files and folder backups (which consist of user-specified files and directories (but not the metadata of the disk or partition)) and (2) full [[system image]]s (which consist of files, directories and disk metadata).
Acronis can back up a computer, selected disks or selected files to a local location specified by the user. The software can perform full, differential and incremental backups. Full creates a new backup archive every time and backs up everything specified by the user. Differential backups only backup the changes made since the latest full backup and incremental only backs up the changes made since the last incremental backup. Incremental backups are a chain and loss of any one of the incremental backups renders the entire backup useless.<ref name="stone2015">{{Cite journal |title=Changing Backup Software [From the Screen of Stone] |date=2015 |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7364342 |access-date=2023-12-20 |doi=10.1109/map.2015.2480085 |last1=Stone |first1=W. Ross |journal=IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine |volume=57 |issue=6 |pages=178–179 |bibcode=2015IAPM...57..178S }}</ref> Since 2020, Acronis software offers customers to select from different kind of backup settings — including backups in a single archive file with a tibx extension.<ref name="acronis2021b"/>

==== Cloud backup (subscription users only) ====
Users can specify to store their backup archives in Acronis's data centers around the globe. Users who subscribe to the software for a year rather than buying a copy of the software receive cloud storage which can be used to store cloud-based backups. As of 2019, premium users receive 1 terabyte of cloud space.<ref name="Kholopov2019">Kholopov, V. A., Kurnasov, E. V., Soklakov, F. V., Korolev, E. I., Untura, M. M., & Bolbakov, R. G. (2019). A METHOD FOR ENSURING THE SECURE TRANSFER AND STORAGE OF BACKUP USER DATA AND INFORMATION FROM INTERNET OF THINGS DEVICES.</ref>

=== Recovery and restoration ===
Acronis True Image (a.k.a. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office) allows users to restore files from a full disk or a file-based archive using either a preinstallation media with Acronis on it or from within the user interface of the program. If protected system files are restored (e.g. restoring an entire system to an earlier state), the system restarts to perform the recovery operation.


The software can perform full, differential and incremental backups:
Users may also mount a backup archive, which allows users to browse the contents of the archive in a manner similar to browsing any other disk drive.


* '''Full:''' Creates a new backup archive every time and backs up everything specified by the user.
=== Disk cloning<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kamunya |first=Titus |date=2024-06-27 |title=The Best Disk-Cloning Software in 2024 |url=https://www.cloudwards.net/best-disk-imaging-software/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Cloudwards |language=en}}</ref> ===
* '''Differential''': Backups only backup the changes made since the latest full backup.
The software can clone the contents from one physical storage device (e.g. [[SSD]], [[Hard disk drive|HDD]] or [[NVMe]]) to another drive.<ref name="crucial2021">{{Cite web |title=Clone Almost Finishes but Then Fails at the End |url=https://www.crucial.com/support/articles-faq-ssd/clone-almost-finishes-fails-at-end |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Crucial |language=en-us}}</ref> The drive does not need to be formatted before data can be cloned to it and may be smaller in size than the source disk but the amount of space on the disk must be at least the size of the amount of data being cloned.<ref name="holzman2005">{{Cite web |last=Holzman |first=Carey |title=How To Upgrade A Hard Disk Drive {{!}} CRN |url=https://www.crn.com/features/channel-programs/163105249/how-to-upgrade-a-hard-disk-drive |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=www.crn.com}}</ref> Cloning aims to preserve the disk metadata. For example, disk cloning is useful for installing a larger disk in a computer or replacing a [[hard disk drive]] with a [[solid state drive]]. Crucial recommends using a preinstallation media of Acronis to perform the clone to avoid possible cloning failures due to partitions being inaccessible.<ref name="crucial2021"/>
* '''Incremental:''' Only backs up the changes made since the last incremental backup. Incremental backups are a chain and loss of any one of the incremental backups renders the entire backup useless.<ref name="stone2015">{{Cite journal |title=Changing Backup Software [From the Screen of Stone] |date=2015 |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7364342 |access-date=2023-12-20 |doi=10.1109/map.2015.2480085 |last1=Stone |first1=W. Ross |journal=IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine |volume=57 |issue=6 |pages=178–179 |bibcode=2015IAPM...57..178S }}</ref>


==== Cloud backup ====
Some hard disk manufacturers including [[Western Digital]], Crucial and [[Seagate Technology|Seagate]] provide customized variants of Acronis True Image with their drives that allows the user to clone their existing disk to another disk, typically of the same manufacturer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en |title=WD Support |publisher=Support.wdc.com |date=2012-02-05 |access-date=2014-11-24 |archive-date=2014-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141118192224/http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/discwizard/ |title=Seagate DiscWizard |publisher=Acronis.com |access-date=2016-02-20}}</ref>
Users can specify to store their backup archives in Acronis's data centers around the globe.<ref>{{Cite conference |last1=Gill |first1=Arshpreet Kaur |last2=Zavarsky |first2=Pavol |last3=Swar |first3=Bobby |date=2021 |title=Automation of Security and Privacy Controls for Efficient Information Security Management |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9478126 |conference=2021 2nd International Conference on Secure Cyber Computing and Communications (ICSCCC) |pages=371–375 |doi=10.1109/ICSCCC51823.2021.9478126 |access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>


=== Reverting changes ===
=== Restoration ===
Acronis True Image allows users to restore files from a full disk or a file-based archive using either a preinstallation media with Acronis on it or from within the user interface of the program.<ref name="warner2014">{{Cite journal |last1=Warner |first1=Gary |last2=Nagy |first2=Mike |last3=Jones |first3=Kyle |last4=Mitchem |first4=Kevin |date=2014-05-29 |title=Investigative Techniques of N-Way Vendor Agreement and Network Analysis Demonstrated with Fake Antivirus |url=https://commons.erau.edu/adfsl/2014/thursday/3/ |journal=Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law}}</ref>
Acronis allows users to protect selected disk drives from unintended changes and revert them if the change is undesired. This can be used instead of virtual machines to create stable and secure environments that can be quickly reverted from within the software.<ref name="Alsagoff2010">Alsagoff, S. N. (2010, June). Malware self protection mechanism issues in conducting malware behaviour analysis in a virtual environment as compared to a real environment. In 2010 International Symposium on Information Technology (Vol. 3, pp. 1326-1331). IEEE.</ref><ref name="warner2014">Warner, Gary, et al. "Investigative techniques of n-way vendor agreement and network analysis demonstrated with fake antivirus." (2014).</ref>


=== '''Identity Protection''' ===
=== File system support ===
The software can create full disk backup archives of several file systems including: [[NTFS]] (Windows); [[File Allocation Table|FAT32]] (Windows 9x and removable media); Macintosh systems ([[HFS+]] and [[APFS]]) and Linux systems ([[ext2]], [[ext3]], [[ext4]]; [[ReiserFS]], and [[Virtual memory|Linux Swap]]).<ref name="bate2021" /> Acronis uses sector-by-sector copy when a non-supported filesystem is backed up.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creating a Sector-By-Sector Backup with Acronis Products |url=https://kb.acronis.com/content/1543 |access-date=15 June 2017 |website=Acronis Knowledge Base}}</ref>
Safeguards personal and sensitive information from unauthorized access.


=== Encryption ===
=== '''Ransomware and malware protection''' ===
The backup archives can be encrypted to reduce the risk of unauthorized access using either: none, 128, 192, or 256-bit [[Advanced Encryption Standard|AES]] encryption.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-01-06 |title=Targeting Backup Encryption: Acronis, Macrium, and Veeam |url=https://blog.elcomsoft.com/2022/01/targeting-backup-encryption-acronis-macrium-and-veeam/ |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=ElcomSoft blog |language=en-US}}</ref> On modern systems, higher bit encryption algorithms do not noticeably impact backup or restoration performance rendering the selection of weaker options pointless.<ref name=":2" />
Utilizes advanced algorithms to detect and prevent ransomware attacks, protecting data from encryption and extortion. <ref>{{Cite web |title=The Best Ransomware Protection for 2024 |url=https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-ransomware-protection |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref>


=== '''Real-time protection'''   ===
=== Technical limitations ===
Managing backup archives created using the Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office software can be challenging for expert users who want to use it in conjunction with other software to manage their backups.<ref name="stone2015" /> The software does not recognize when backups have been deleted using external software.
Continuously monitors and protects systems from a wide range of threats, providing immediate responses to potential issues.


The compatibility of backup archives is not guaranteed between products that are not within the same version.<ref name="acronis2021c">{{Cite web |title=Backup archive compatibility across different product versions |url=https://kb.acronis.com/tib |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=kb.acronis.com}}</ref>
=== '''Antivirus integration'''   ===
Offers built-in antivirus capabilities to detect and neutralize malware threats.


== Limitations ==
=== File format ===
Prior to Acronis True Image 2020, the file format used for storing backup image or file data was the True Image Backup file format (TIB).<ref name=":2" /> True Image 2020 added an additional format: TIBX that provides additional functionality.<ref name=":0" />
=== Possible incompatibility between versions ===
Prior to Acronis True Image 2020, the backup archives were stored using a proprietary format with a [[filename extension|.tib]] file extension on Windows systems.<ref name="acronis2021b">{{Cite web |title=Acronis True Image 2020 and 2021: tib and tibx backup format usage |url=https://kb.acronis.com/content/63441 |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=kb.acronis.com}}</ref> Due to this, compatibility is not guaranteed between products that are not within the same version.<ref name="acronis2021c">Backup Archive Compatibility across Different Product Versions | Knowledge Base. https://kb.acronis.com/tib. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.</ref> Older versions of the software cannot read backup archives created using a newer version.


=== Unwanted advertisements ===
==== TIB ====
The '''TIB''' ('''.tib''') file format is used for storing the backup image data for all True Image versions especially prior to True Image 2020.<ref name=":0" />
One limitation of the software is the inability to disable taskbar popups marketing upgrades and new products from the developer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forum.acronis.com/forum/65648?page=1#comment-209384/|title=How do I stop these constant "Purchase 2015 Upgrade" prompts? |publisher=forum.acronis.com |date=September 28, 2014|access-date=November 28, 2019}}</ref> The notification will grab focus (i.e. will interrupt a full screen game or movie) and each advertisement must be disabled individually. The company currently offers no way to permanently turn off these advertisements.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kb.acronis.com/content/57373|title=Acronis True Image: How To Disable Notifications in Notification Area |publisher=acronis.com |date=November 28, 2019|access-date=November 28, 2019}}</ref>


The TIB file can be forensically identified by looking for a [[file signature]] of CE 24 B9 A2 20 00 00 00 or B4 6E 68 44.<ref>{{Cite web |title=File Signatures |url=https://www.garykessler.net/library/file_sigs.html |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=www.garykessler.net}}</ref>
=== Backup management ===
Managing backup archives created using the Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office software can be challenging for expert users who want to use it in conjunction with other software to manage their backups.<ref name="stone2015"/> For example, the software does not recognize when backups have been deleted using external software.


== Uses ==
==== TIBX ====
The TIBX file format, added in Acronis True Image 2020, addresses limitations with the TIB format such as replacing the [[MD5]] hashed password with another mechanism to mitigate [[Brute-force attack|brute force attacks]].<ref name=":2" />
=== Use in academia ===
Acronis True Image (a. k. a. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office) is used by cybersecurity researchers to conduct analysis of [[computer virus]]es because it is faster than using alternative techniques such as virtualization.<ref name="warner2014"/>


=== Use by technicians ===
== Disk cloning ==
The product supports [[Disk cloning|cloning]] the contents of a [[SATA]] or [[NVMe]] [[storage media]] to another. The product will adjust the size of the partition(s) to ensure that they fit on the destination storage device.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is used by [[computer technician]]s to deploy a common system image to a group of computers.<ref name="Alsagoff2010"/><ref name="clarke2020">{{Cite web |title=Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office Review |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/acronis-cyber-protect-home-office |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref> For example, the preinstallation media of Acronis allows the user to create full disk backup archives of a given system without needing to install the agent on the system being cloned.


Some hard disk manufacturers (including [[Western Digital]],<ref>{{cite web |date=2012-02-05 |title=WD Support |url=http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141118192224/http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en |archive-date=2014-11-18 |access-date=2014-11-24 |publisher=Support.wdc.com}}</ref> Crucial and [[Seagate Technology|Seagate]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Seagate DiscWizard |url=http://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/discwizard/ |access-date=2016-02-20 |publisher=Acronis.com}}</ref>) provide customized variants of Acronis True Image with their drives that allows the user to clone their existing disk to another disk but with the caveat that the disks typically have to be of the same manufacturer.
== History ==
Acronis began in 2001 as a division of [[SWsoft]]<ref name="Ser">{{cite web|url=http://www.itwire.com/business-it-news/cloud/66350-acronis-head-signals-cloud-future |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150213010858/http://www.itwire.com/business-it-news/cloud/66350-acronis-head-signals-cloud-future |archive-date=13 February 2015 |title=Acronis Head Signals Cloud Future |publisher=Cloud(Australia:iTWire) |first=Graeme |last=Philipson |date=4 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and in 2003 became a separate company and continued to release the Acronis True Image software. The ''True Image'' name was applied to all platforms from Home to Corporate until 2010, when Acronis business backup software was renamed, with ''True Image'' being the home version. In 2020, security features were integrated into the product and Acronis argued that a name change was necessary to reflect these changes.<ref name="nameChange">{{Cite web |title=Acronis True Image is now Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office |url=https://www.acronis.com/en-us/blog/posts/acronis-true-image-is-now-acronis-cyber-protect-home-office/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Acronis |language=en}}</ref>


== Cybersecurity ==
=== Acronis True Image (2003–2024) ===
In 2016, active ransomware countermeasures, blockchain-based notary services, and electronic signing (premium version only) were added to the product.
Prior to Acronis True Image 9, their business-focused product [[Acronis Cyber Protect|Acronis Backup or Acronis Cyber Protect]] shared the same name as their home product with the minor exception that the business versions were called Acronis True Image Server. Later server backup software was renamed "Acronis Backup".


In 2020, security features (i.e., integrated advanced anti-malware features including real-time protection, vulnerability assessment, anti-virus scans, web filtering, and [[videotelephony]] app protection) were integrated into the product.
==== Versions ====
The table summarizes the key changes between versions of Acronis.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Version !! Year !! Notes
|-
| 6.0 || 2002 || Supports creation of [[disk image]]s on recordable DVD media and external USB drives.
|-
| 7.0 || 2003 || Includes a [[Wizard (software)|wizard]]-driven interface. Supports disk cloning that directly duplicates the contents of a hard drive to another.
|-
| 8.0 || 2004 || Supports backing up to a network location and restoring individual files from a disk image.
|-
| 9.0 || 2005 || The last version to support [[Windows 98]] and [[Windows ME]]. ''Secure Zone'' allows backing up to a hidden drive partition. ''Startup Recovery Manager'' helps restore during boot time without a separate boot disk.
|-
| 10.0 || 2006 || Backs up and restores directly from network shares and [[FTP]] servers. Can save archives of [[Microsoft Outlook]] and [[Outlook Express]] as well as [[Windows Address Book]].
|-
| 11.0 || 2007 || ''File Shredder'' helps permanently destroy files. ''Try&Decide'' helps set up a [[sandbox (computer security)|sandbox]] in which untrusted programs can safely run without the risk of permanently changing or damaging the system.
|-
| 12/2009 || 2009 || ''One-click Backup'' backs up a computer using default settings, without asking any question other than backup destination.
|-
| 13/2010 || 2010 || Supports [[Virtual Hard Disk]] (VHD) and [[Windows 7]]. ''Nonstop Backup'' provides [[continuous data protection]]. ''Online Backup'' backs up data to an off-site location on the Internet. Version 13 home available as free WD Edition (see partnerships below)
|-
| 14/2011 || 2010 || Supports [[USB 3.0]], integration with Windows 7 and predefined backup schemes.
|-
| 15/2012 || 2011 || Supports File synchronization, [[Network-attached storage]], Nonstop Backup over network and integrated online backup.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acronis.com/support/updates/changes.html?p=10784 |title=Release Notes for Acronis True Image Home 2012 |publisher=Acronis, Inc | access-date=2011-10-28 }}</ref>
|-
| 16/2013 || 2012 || Adds mobile access and Windows 8 support (except [[UEFI#Secure Boot|UEFI Secure Boot]]).<ref>{{cite web | first=Barry | last=Collins | url=http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/379315/windows-8-secure-boot-snags-acronis-true-image |title=Windows 8 Secure Boot snags Acronis True Image |publisher=Dennis Publishing | date=2013-01-15 | access-date=2013-01-16 }}</ref> Version 16 Home available as free WD Edition AND Seagate DiskWizard (see partnerships below)
|-
| 17/2014 || 2013 || Bug fixes, minor changes. [[UEFI#Secure Boot|UEFI Secure Boot]] support was added in this version.
|-
| 18/2015 || 2014 || Radically changed the UI and removed many features including backup file conversion from the .tib format to .vhd and vice versa, user backup file management (deletion of specified existing backups when destination has insufficient space for new backup), user-driven consolidation of incremental backups, import and export of backup settings, and the ability to sort backups by date.<ref name="2015changes">{{cite web|url=https://forum.acronis.com/forum/65498|title=65498: Summary of Features Removed in ATI2015|publisher=acronis.com|date=18 September 2014|access-date=7 February 2015}}</ref> Version 18 Home available as free WD Edition (see partnerships below)
|-
| 19/2016 || 2015 || Added support for Windows 10. Removed support for Windows Vista.
|-
| 20/2017 || 2016 || Added active ransomware countermeasures, blockchain-based notary services, and electronic signing (premium version only).
|-
| 21/2018 || 2017 || Added cloning of active disks and continuous backups.
|-
| 22/2019 || 2018 ||
|-
| 23/2020 || 2019 || Changed suffix of backup files to .tibx. This likely changed the internal file format as well.
|-
| 24/2021 || 2020 || Added integrated advanced anti-malware features including real-time protection, vulnerability assessment, anti-virus scans, web filtering, and videoconference app protection.
|}


== Other Acronis products ==
== Naming ==
Prior to Acronis True Image 9, their business-focused product Acronis Backup or Acronis Cyber Protect shared the same name as their home product (i.e., ''True Image)'' with the minor exception that the business versions were called Acronis True Image Server. Later server backup software was renamed ''Acronis Backup''.
Acronis also produce a series of data protection and cybersecurity solutions for businesses including:


In 2021 Acronis renamed the home product to ''Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office''. It was renamed back to True Image in 2024.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
* [[Acronis Cyber Protect]] (formerly known as [[Acronis Backup]]) - integrates the backup with cybersecurity to provide complete, streamlined cyber resilience to organisations
* [[Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud]] - backup, DR, cybersecurity, and endpoint management in one integrated solution for IT Service Providers
* [[Acronis Snap Deploy]] - OS deployment and disk imaging tool for organisations


== See also ==
== See also ==

Latest revision as of 03:10, 19 August 2024

Acronis True Image
Original author(s)Acronis
Stable release
  • Build #41393 (Windows)
  • Build #41396 (Mac)
/ July 16, 2024; 5 months ago (2024-07-16)[1]
Operating system
PlatformIA-32 and x86-64
Available inEnglish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Korean, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Indonesian, Portuguese, Dutch
TypeData protection and backup software
LicenseProprietary software
Websitewww.acronis.com/en-us/products/true-image//

Acronis True Image is a proprietary backup, imaging, cloning and cybersecurity suite developed by Acronis International GmbH.[3] It can back up files, data, clone storage media and protects the system from ransomware.[4][5] In 2021, the product was renamed to Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office before being renamed back to True Image in 2024.[6][7]

Backup and restoration

[edit]

The product can back up a computer, selected disks or selected files to a local location or to a data center operated by Acronis.[3] Data is stored within a proprietary image file.

Backup

[edit]

Local backup

[edit]

It can create two types of backup archives: (1) files and folder backups (which consist of user-specified files and directories (but not the metadata of the disk or partition)) and (2) full system images (which consist of files, directories and disk metadata).

The software can perform full, differential and incremental backups:

  • Full: Creates a new backup archive every time and backs up everything specified by the user.
  • Differential: Backups only backup the changes made since the latest full backup.
  • Incremental: Only backs up the changes made since the last incremental backup. Incremental backups are a chain and loss of any one of the incremental backups renders the entire backup useless.[8]

Cloud backup

[edit]

Users can specify to store their backup archives in Acronis's data centers around the globe.[9]

Restoration

[edit]

Acronis True Image allows users to restore files from a full disk or a file-based archive using either a preinstallation media with Acronis on it or from within the user interface of the program.[10]

File system support

[edit]

The software can create full disk backup archives of several file systems including: NTFS (Windows); FAT32 (Windows 9x and removable media); Macintosh systems (HFS+ and APFS) and Linux systems (ext2, ext3, ext4; ReiserFS, and Linux Swap).[3] Acronis uses sector-by-sector copy when a non-supported filesystem is backed up.[11]

Encryption

[edit]

The backup archives can be encrypted to reduce the risk of unauthorized access using either: none, 128, 192, or 256-bit AES encryption.[12] On modern systems, higher bit encryption algorithms do not noticeably impact backup or restoration performance rendering the selection of weaker options pointless.[12]

Technical limitations

[edit]

Managing backup archives created using the Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office software can be challenging for expert users who want to use it in conjunction with other software to manage their backups.[8] The software does not recognize when backups have been deleted using external software.

The compatibility of backup archives is not guaranteed between products that are not within the same version.[13]

File format

[edit]

Prior to Acronis True Image 2020, the file format used for storing backup image or file data was the True Image Backup file format (TIB).[12] True Image 2020 added an additional format: TIBX that provides additional functionality.[6]

TIB

[edit]

The TIB (.tib) file format is used for storing the backup image data for all True Image versions especially prior to True Image 2020.[6]

The TIB file can be forensically identified by looking for a file signature of CE 24 B9 A2 20 00 00 00 or B4 6E 68 44.[14]

TIBX

[edit]

The TIBX file format, added in Acronis True Image 2020, addresses limitations with the TIB format such as replacing the MD5 hashed password with another mechanism to mitigate brute force attacks.[12]

Disk cloning

[edit]

The product supports cloning the contents of a SATA or NVMe storage media to another. The product will adjust the size of the partition(s) to ensure that they fit on the destination storage device.

Some hard disk manufacturers (including Western Digital,[15] Crucial and Seagate[16]) provide customized variants of Acronis True Image with their drives that allows the user to clone their existing disk to another disk but with the caveat that the disks typically have to be of the same manufacturer.

Cybersecurity

[edit]

In 2016, active ransomware countermeasures, blockchain-based notary services, and electronic signing (premium version only) were added to the product.

In 2020, security features (i.e., integrated advanced anti-malware features including real-time protection, vulnerability assessment, anti-virus scans, web filtering, and videotelephony app protection) were integrated into the product.

Naming

[edit]

Prior to Acronis True Image 9, their business-focused product Acronis Backup or Acronis Cyber Protect shared the same name as their home product (i.e., True Image) with the minor exception that the business versions were called Acronis True Image Server. Later server backup software was renamed Acronis Backup.

In 2021 Acronis renamed the home product to Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office. It was renamed back to True Image in 2024.[6][7]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Product Updates". www.acronis.com.
  2. ^ Windows 11 Support in Acronis Products | Knowledge Base|website=kb.acronis.com|accessdate= 22 Nov. 2021}}
  3. ^ a b c "Acronis True Image Review 2023: Is the High Cost Worth It?". Website Planet. 2021-05-10. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  4. ^ Alawida, Moatsum; Omolara, Abiodun Esther; Abiodun, Oludare Isaac; Al-Rajab, Murad (2022-11-01). "A deeper look into cybersecurity issues in the wake of Covid-19: A survey". Journal of King Saud University - Computer and Information Sciences. 34 (10, Part A): 8176–8206. doi:10.1016/j.jksuci.2022.08.003. ISSN 1319-1578. PMC 9367180.
  5. ^ Alsagoff, Syed Nasir (2010). Malware self protection mechanism issues in conducting malware behaviour analysis in a virtual environment as compared to a real environment. 2010 International Symposium on Information Technology. Vol. 3. pp. 1326–1331. doi:10.1109/ITSIM.2010.5561600. Retrieved 2024-08-11 – via IEEE Xplore.
  6. ^ a b c d "TIB File - What is a .tib file and how do I open it?". fileinfo.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  7. ^ a b "Acronis True Image returns: Reintroducing - ProQuest". Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  8. ^ a b Stone, W. Ross (2015). "Changing Backup Software [From the Screen of Stone]". IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine. 57 (6): 178–179. Bibcode:2015IAPM...57..178S. doi:10.1109/map.2015.2480085. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  9. ^ Gill, Arshpreet Kaur; Zavarsky, Pavol; Swar, Bobby (2021). Automation of Security and Privacy Controls for Efficient Information Security Management. 2021 2nd International Conference on Secure Cyber Computing and Communications (ICSCCC). pp. 371–375. doi:10.1109/ICSCCC51823.2021.9478126. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  10. ^ Warner, Gary; Nagy, Mike; Jones, Kyle; Mitchem, Kevin (2014-05-29). "Investigative Techniques of N-Way Vendor Agreement and Network Analysis Demonstrated with Fake Antivirus". Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law.
  11. ^ "Creating a Sector-By-Sector Backup with Acronis Products". Acronis Knowledge Base. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  12. ^ a b c d "Targeting Backup Encryption: Acronis, Macrium, and Veeam". ElcomSoft blog. 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  13. ^ "Backup archive compatibility across different product versions". kb.acronis.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  14. ^ "File Signatures". www.garykessler.net. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  15. ^ "WD Support". Support.wdc.com. 2012-02-05. Archived from the original on 2014-11-18. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
  16. ^ "Seagate DiscWizard". Acronis.com. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
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